Amanita ovoidea

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1833 by Pierre Bulliard, a French physician and botanist, and Lucien Quélet, a French mycologist and naturalist.

Description

The mushroom is white to cream-coloured and can reach very large sizes, over 15 cm, or in exceptional cases over 30 cm. The cap is smooth, fleshy, silky, hemispherical when young, but soon becoming convex to shield shaped. The cap margin is usually covered with hanging, cottony remains of the partial veil. The lamellae are thick, rounded, broad and are free from the stipe. The stipe is thick, cylindrical, powdery, has a fragile, cottony ring, and a large, white to ochraceous-cream volva at the base. The flesh is thick, white and has a strong, unpleasant smell. The spore print is white, and the elliptical spores measure 10–12 × 6.5–8 μm.

|Photo of Amanita Ovoidea.jpg|A. ovoidea with hanging veil remnants |Amanita ovoidea 1.JPG|A. ovoidea mushroom in a forest

Similar species

Amanita proxima, a poisonous species containing allenic norleucine, is very similar to A. ovoidea. It is separated by the deep ochraceous to russet-orange colour of its volva, the persistent pendulous ring on the stipe, and the smooth cap margin, without vellar remains. A. proxima is found in the same habitats as A. ovoidea, and can cause cytolytic hepatitis and acute renal failure.

It is also similar to all-white, deadly poisonous Amanita species such as A. virosa and A. verna.

Distribution and habitat

Native to Europe, it is found on plains as well as mountains in the Mediterranean region.

Amanita ovoidea is a symbiotic fungus, forming mycorrhizal associations with pine trees, as well as evergreen and deciduous oaks. It is found in coniferous forests, deciduous forests, coastal regions, mountains, roadsides and grassy areas, growing on limy, sandy and alkaline soils. The mushroom grows semi-buried in the ground, and collected specimens are often covered with sand.

Conservation

In Bulgaria, the species is in danger due to habitat loss caused by selective logging, human settlements and natural causes like acid rain and soil pollution.

Edibility

The edibility of Amanita ovoidea is dubious. In the past, the fungus has been reported as "edible" in some books and "poisonous" in others. Moreover, it can easily be confused with other all-white, deadly poisonous Amanita species, such as A. virosa, A. verna and, in particular, A. proxima. In southern France, some people were inflicted with acute kidney injury because they accidentally consumed A. proxima, mistaking it for A. ovoidea. Similar cases of poisoning have also been reported from Cyprus.

A 2008 study on the minerals in fungi from northwest Turkey, including this species, concluded that A. ovoidea was safe to eat and could fulfill nutritional needs.

References

References

1. [http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=156329 Index Fungorum]
2. Galli R. 2007. Le Amanite 2nd Edition. Edinatura.
3. Neville P, Poumarat S. 2004. Fungi Europaei 9: Amanitae. Edizioni Candusso, Italia.
4. Ducros J, Labastie J and Saingra S. (1995). Una observation supplementaire d’intoxication par Amanita proxima a l’origine d’insuffisance renale aigue. Nephrologie, 16: 341.
5. "Amanita ovoidea". Roger's Mushrooms.
6. "Amanita ovoidea (Bull.: Fr)". Agraria.
7. R E, Tulloss. "Amanita ovoidea".
8. "Amanita ovoidea". Red Data Book of Bulgaria.
9. Pérez Calvo200, Javi. (2009-01-23). "Amanita ovoid". Fungipedia.
10. de Haro L, Jouglard J, Arditti J, David JM. (1998). Acute renal insufficiency caused by Amanita proxima poisoning: experience of the Poison Center of Marseille. Nephrologie (19): 21–4.
11. Leray H, Canaud B, Andary C, Klouche K, Béraud JJ and Mion C. (1994). Intoxication par Amanita proxima. Néphrologie 15: 197-199.
12. Loizides M., Kyriakou T., Tziakouris A. (2011). Edible & Toxic Fungi of Cyprus. 1st Edition, 304 p. {{ISBN. 978-9963-7380-0-7
13. Loizides M, Bellanger JM, Yiangou Y, Moreau PA. (2018). Preliminary phylogenetic investigations into the genus ''Amanita'' (Agaricales) in Cyprus, with a review of previous records and poisoning incidents. Documents Mycologiques 37, 201–218.
14. (2008). "Minor element and heavy metal content of edible wild mushrooms native to Bolu, North-West Turkey". Fresenius Environmental Bulletin.